June 22, 2009

Was ist ist, was nicht ist ist möglich

For the group-exhibition 'Was ist ist, was nicht ist ist möglich' at Artist Studiospace Rosa in Breda (NL) I made a wallpaper installation, a ricecarpet and a rice-installation. The works of rice are inspired by and based on the books I'm reading to inform me for my journey to Batik in October.

In the inside cover of the book "Bloemen van het heelal, De kleurrijke wereld van de textiel op Java"* are these beautiful drawings of Batik patterns. The book saids the patterns are from Grěsik and were drawn in 1822. I used one for my ricecarpet 'Windrose' on the floor at Rosa.
The book starts explaining Batik using a windrose. Every direction of the wind has a different colour and therefor a different meaning. Clockwise the colours also symbolize day & night and life & death, the cycle of life. Like a rotating sun.
It starts with blue-ish black, the night and death, continuing to white. The beginning, twilight. The light red is the morning, the sunset, the beginning of young life. The bright red is maturity, the middle, adulthood. Orange is when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Fruits and seeds are getting ripe. With yellow its harvest time. Reap what you sow. With green or purple the night is coming, its twilight again. Grey-ish or very dark blue is near the beginning, or ending.

Compilation wallpaper installation "The journey of Batik"**

Ricecarpet 'Windrose' at Rosa in Breda (NL)

On the left "Rice from Silver bowls", right ricecarpet "Windrose"

Rosa is located in an old school building. Very inspiring and beautiful. The lucky artists working there have studios floating in daylight with enviable high ceilings. Among all this greatness it was difficult to find an location to make a work that stands out, so I chose the hallway for my wallpaper and the toilet block for my ricecarpet. In the toilet block were 4 sinks. I was working on how to make carpets, without people putting their hands in them, so I decided to fill every sink with a different types of rice. The different types of rice have different colours, black, red, white and saffron, that match perfectly with the windrose-explanation of Batik. The novel "Rijst uit zilveren schalen" inspired me for the title. The title, translated "Rice from Silver bowls", is an expression to explain the importance of food. No matter how sad life gets or how poor you are, you should always serve your rice in Silver bowls.
Visitors really enjoyed the 'bowls' with rice, putting their hands in and pouring it, making that beautiful sound. However, it maybe help getting their hands from my work, instead someone danced barefoot in my carpet on the opening night...

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Wastra Weekend-Indonesië in textiel

www.sabinebolk.nl

The journey to Batik

I, Sabine Bolk, have been an artist since 2007. In the years after my graduation my work has developed from paintings on paper to installations with wallpaper, organic floor carpets called ricecarpets and short films. My work shows domestic scenes with emphasis on the temporary state of things and patterns. On my blog De reis naar Batik you can read about my journeys to Batik, my preparations for those journey to java. My upcoming plans, my inspirations and research of Batik, Dutch (colonial) history, folkart, Temporary Art and much more! Welcome to my journey to Batik!

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